


A Friendly Wager

by Dreamin



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 20:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18557380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: Sometimes, all it takes to win a bet is a little honesty.





	A Friendly Wager

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).



> Inspired by a prompt from afteriwake.

“I’m not wanting anything Earth-shattering, Gramps – just a friendly little wager.”

Chuck didn’t even look up from his laptop. “The last time I made a wager with one of your kind, a poor schlimazel paid the price.” Under his breath, he muttered, “I don’t know why I thought going to Starbucks would help.” He took another sip of his Iced Caffé Mocha and went back to staring at the blank document, willing for an idea to come.

“The Creator of the Universe has writer’s block,” Crowley muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. “This is different. I’m not after the guy’s soul, I just want bragging rights.”

Chuck’s eyes flicked up at him over the laptop then went back to the screen. “Just bragging rights?”

Crowley smirked. “Naturally, I’ll hold it over you until the end of time.”

“Which could be any minute now.”

His smirk faded. “Seriously?”

“It’s always any minute now,” Chuck said patiently, his eyes still on the screen as he finally started typing. “People think of the end as being something far off in the future but really, I could end things whenever.” He looked over at Crowley and added pointedly, “It’s a lot more likely to happen when I’m annoyed.”

“Noted,” Crowley said, visibly shaken for a split second, then his usual confidence returned. “I’m tired of seeing a certain hunter beating around the bush.”

“Never would’ve pegged you as a shipper.”

Crowley chuckled. “Let’s just say it’s easier to exploit a man’s weaknesses when he actually admits he has them.”

“Love isn’t a weakness, Fergus,” Chuck said pointedly.

“For Dean Winchester, it is, El.”

He flashed Crowley a grin. “It’s been too long since somebody called me that. Okay, what are the terms of the bet?”

“I’ll do everything I can to get Dean to admit he’s mad about Castiel and you do the same. Whoever gets him to cave first wins.”

He considered it for a moment. “There has to be a deadline – we can’t throw everything we’ve got at him indefinitely.”

“A week.”

Chuck smirked. “I can do a lot in a week.”

* * *

Crowley called in every favor he had and then some to force Dean to admit his feelings for Castiel. Nothing worked, not even violence.

Chuck watched the week unfold passively, biding his time. After Crowley’s final attempt left Dean battered and bloody, Chuck went to him.

He found the hunter laying on a bed in a dingy hotel room somewhere in Nebraska, self-medicating his cracked ribs with ice, alcohol, and alcohol on ice.

“Those look like they hurt,” Chuck said as he walked into the room with a couple of boxes of Chinese take-out. He set them on the minuscule table in the kitchen area then sat down on the other bed.

“A bit, yeah,” Dean muttered then he took another swig out of his bottle. “Nothing I can’t-” he cut himself off, wincing, “handle.”

“Uh huh.” With a wave of Chuck’s hand, all of Dean’s injuries were healed.

Dean sat up, eyeing him warily. “It’s easy to forget who you really are sometimes.”

He grinned at him. “Man, you are stubborn. That’s probably why I like you so much – you don’t give up. My favorite people never gave up.”

Dean raised an eyebrow. “I’m sensing a ‘but.’” He took another swig from the bottle.

"'But,’ there are times when you have to realize that being a stubborn little shit is only going to get you so far.”

“And one of those times would be?” Dean asked warily.

“Keeping Cas at arm’s length isn’t going to make him any safer.”

Dean took another swig, taking his time before answering. “Everything of mine that’s worth anything is Cas’ already.”

“Your heart.”

He nodded. “And my soul. Sorry, Chuck, I would’ve offered it to you but really, Cas had all of me,” he glanced down at his left shoulder then back up at Chuck, “long before I realized it.”

Chuck grinned wider. “So, stop procrastinating and tell him that. All you’re doing now is making yourself, and him, miserable.”

“But how do I know-”

“You can’t know what the future will bring, no human can, but you gotta try anyway.”

Dean hesitated for a moment then he reached for his phone.

Chuck nodded, satisfied. “I knew you could do it. See you around, Dean.” He vanished and reappeared in his living room. The first thing he did was text Crowley.

**Looks like I beat the King of the Crossroads, and all I had to do was be honest.**

Crowley’s reply was instantaneous.

**Yeah, yeah. Congratulations and all that.**

Chuck put his phone down and went to his desk. _Now to write the greatest love story of them all._


End file.
